Miss Firecracker is a 1989 comedy-drama film directed by Thomas Schlamme. It is based on a play of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley. The film follows the story of Carnelle Scott (played by Holly Hunter), a young woman from Yazoo City, Mississippi, who dreams of winning the annual Miss Firecracker beauty pageant.
Carnelle is the black sheep of her family and has a reputation in the community for being promiscuous and not very intelligent. However, she believes that winning the pageant will be her ticket to fame and fortune, and she puts all of her energy into preparing for the competition. She even hires a former pageant queen named Elain (played by Mary Steenburgen) to be her coach.
The road to the pageant is not easy for Carnelle. She faces fierce competition from other local girls who have been preparing for the event for months. She also has to deal with her family's judgment and disapproval, particularly from her cousin Delmount (played by Tim Robbins), who sees her as a failure.
Despite the obstacles, Carnelle keeps pushing forward, determined to prove that she is more than just a small-town girl. Along the way, she learns some important lessons about self-confidence, family, and the true meaning of success.
Miss Firecracker is a heartwarming and humorous film that explores themes of identity, self-worth, and the American obsession with beauty and fame. The cast, which also includes Alfre Woodard and Scott Glenn, deliver strong performances that bring the characters and story to life, making it an enjoyable and memorable film.